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Is my dog's growl always aggression, or can it be playful or happy?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund | Male | neutered | 6 years and 9 months old | 16 lbs

Does a growl always mean aggression?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on March 22nd, 2019

Not always, dogs can growl when playing, when frustrated, when experiencing pleasure. Of course these are all different (pitch, tone, situation). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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